Be authentic

I have one two-word suggestion for politicians, sales professionals, teachers, customer service representatives, bloggers, and basically any profession where you interact with people.

Be authentic.

It’s surprising how rare this is. I talk to a customer service rep, and I feel like I’m talking to a script. I watch a politician read his condolences after a tragedy, the one thing you should definitely speak from the heart. I get pitched from sales reps, and notice that when the pitch is over, their speech slows down, their language changes, and they become more, real.

Why is this? Why do people feel the need to sound like someone they aren’t? Why do we feel like when interacting with other people, we need to be scripted? And finally, why sound scripted, when being authentic is so much more endearing?

With the last decade spent in sales, I’ve seen time and time again, the top performing salespeople are the ones who are the most authentic–provided they match their authenticity with hard work. Yet so many try to sound like someone else, and just end up sounding awkward, devoid of passion, personality, and sincerity.

The same could be said for anyone else though. In this highly disconnected world we live in, it is so refreshing to run into someone who is truly authentic. I see it happen all the time with counter service employees at our cafe. They put on their “customer voice” when talking to customers, then relax, and are much more enjoyable when interacting

Try being yourself in the next interaction with a stranger, and you’ll be surprised how endearing and disarming you become, and how much more pleasurable the interaction can be. Do this by talking in your normal voice you use with your friends. Talk about something you really are going through. And be interested, genuinely interested, in the other person as a human being.

Regardless of your profession or who you are talking to, be real. Be authentic. Be you.